Yankees are moving on, and showing signs that their best may be yet to come
The Yankees took care of business in game four on Thursday night, clinching an ALCS berth for the fourth time in the last eight years with the 3-1 victory over the Royals.
Each game in the series was close, as neither team won a game by more than two runs, and given the sky-high expectations for the Yanks in 2024, some came away from the series feeling uneasy about the Bombers’ outlook for ending the franchise’s 15-year title drought.
While there were some concerns over the first three games, the clinching victory offered hope that New York is finding its form in some key areas as we move deeper into October.
The main concern through three games had been Aaron Judge, who only intensified questions about his playoff pedigree as he was held without an extra-base hit in the series heading into game four. Judge showed some slight signs of promise in game three, smoking a 114.4 mph lineout to shortstop and squaring up a 99 mph flyout to center field. He also added a walk in the game, and could have been two had he not been rung up on a very questionable call on a check swing for strike three.
On Thursday night, Judge finally came through with a double, walked twice, and didn’t strike out. It’s not quite the breakout fans are waiting for, or the kind that the Yanks can ride to a title, but it certainly feels like a step in the right direction heading into the ALCS.
The other major concern surrounding the Yanks was Gerrit Cole, who was shaky in game one at home after an abbreviated regular season due to an elbow injury that sidelined him for months. The series opener left many wondering whether Cole could find his peak form after pitching half a season, and in game four, he answered the call, allowing one run over seven innings while issuing no walks. It was the kind of shutdown performance the Yankees needed, and they will need their bonafide ace to be the part moving forward.
Thursday was a good sign that he will be ready.
Elsewhere in the lineup, Gleyber Torres’ hot hitting atop the lineup continued, logging a first-inning double that led to the first run of the game, and poking a single to right center that doubled the lead shortly after. Giancarlo Stanton continued his playoff dominance with a rocket single to plate the team’s third run, and it was Juan Soto who drove in Torres in the first inning to set the tone. The key bats atop the lineup around Judge have shown that they can come through, a big sign of encouragement given how the bottom half of the order looked in this series, aside from Anthony Volpe, who hit into some rough luck all series despite quality contact.
Finally, the bullpen. Remember when the relief core, highlighted by struggling closer Clay Holmes, was considered by many to be the main concern of the team? Well, they began to find their footing as a collective down the stretch of the regular season, and in October, they were lights out, not allowing a single earned run. Holmes was dominant in his role. Tommy Kahnle was money. And Luke Weaver was automatic in the closer role, earning three saves. Bullpens are critical in the playoffs, when every inning is high leverage, and the Yanks look to have one of the best pens of any team left.
The first three games of the series felt like a slog. But in Thursday’s clincher, there were components to grab on to in hopes that the Yanks are finding their groove when it matters most.
